Umbrella.



J. DEL RE.

UMBRELLA.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 9, 1918. 1,282,387. Patented Oct. 22, 1918'. 2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

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J. DEL RE.

UMBRELLA. APPL'ICATION FILED APR.9, I918.

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JOSEPH DEL RE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

UMBRELLA.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 22, 1918.

Application'filed April 9, 1918. .Se'rial No. 227,471.

To all whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that I, JosErH DEL RE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Umbrellas, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in umbrellas, and has for its object the production of a device of this character, which will be of durable and economical construction, and efficient in use.

ther objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings forming 'a part of this specification, and in which,

Figure 1, is a top plan view of an umbrella in open condition, embodying the invention, a portion of the cover of the umbrella being broken away to expose underlying parts,

Fig. 2, a substantially central section through the umbrella, in open condition,

Fig. 3, a substantially central section of the umbrella in closed condition,

Fig. e, an enlarged sectional detail of the construction as seen in Fig. 3, and

Fig. 5, an enlarged detail perspective view of the construction as seen in Fig. 2.

The preferred form of constructidn as illustrated in the drawings comprises a tubular stick 6 provided at one end with a suitable handle 7. Pivotally connected at 8 with the other end of the stick 6 is a plurality of radially disposed ribs 9, to which is fastened, in the usual, manner. a fabric cover 10. Cocperating with ribs 9 are spreaders 11, the outer ends of which are pivotally connected with said. ribs at 12, the inner ends of said spreaders being pivotally connected at 13 with a tubular runner 1d shiftably mounted upon stick 6.

Cooperating with the runner 14 in order to hold the umbrella ribs in spread or open position, is a pawl 15 arranged in the stick 6 and pivotally connected therewith at 16. A leaf spring 17 cooperates with said pawl to normally hold the same in operative position. The arrangement is such, as will be seen, that said pawl is adapted automatically to engage with the end of the runner 1 1 when the umbrella is opened in order to lock the same in this condition.

In order to lock the umbrella in closed condition, a pawl 18 is provided in the stick 6 adjacent the other end thereof, said pawl being pivotally secured to the stick by a pin 19. Said pawl is provided with an elongated slot 20 which is engaged by the pin 19, the arrangement being such that said pawl will be permitted both pivotal and shifting movement. A leaf spring 21 cooperates with said pawl to normally hold the same in outward 0r operative position. Formed in the runner 14 adjacent one end thereof is an annular internal groove or shoulder 22, which is adapted, when the umbrella is in closed condition, to be engaged by the pawl 18, as clearly seen in Fig. 4, whereby the umbrella is locked in this condition.

Operation of the pawls 15 and 18 is effected by means of an eXtension or finger piece 23 provided upon the pawl 18, said member 23 projecting exteriorly adjacent the handle 7 of the umbrella so as to permit of ready engagement thereof by the thumb of the user. The arrangement is such that through depression of said member 23 the pawl 18 will be moved inwardly to releasing position in order to release the runner 1i and permit of opening of the umbrella. The inner end of pawl 18 is connected by a wire or other suitable connecting element 2 ith the pawl 15, so that through shifting of the member 23 toward the handle 6 said pawl 15 will be retracted and thus the runner lat released in order to permit of closing of the umbrella. With this arrangement then, it will be seen that the member 23 affords means of manual operation of both pawls of the umbrella in either opening or closing the latter.

Cooperating with each rib 9 is a pair of laterally flexible resilient bars 25, the outer ends thereof being pivotally connected with the corresponding rib 9 at the point 12, the inner ends of said bars being'pivotally connected at 26 with a runner 27 which is slidably mounted upon the runner 11. The outer ends of the bars 25 of each pair thereof are securely fastened together by a band 28 which embraces the same, as clearly seen in Fig. 5. The inner ends of adjacent bars of adjacent pairs thereof are secured together by bands 29, as clearly seen in Fig. 1. The arrangement is such that when the umbrella is closed, the bars will be in normal straight condition. Upon movement of the ribs 9 from closed position, said bars 25, due to the connection between the adjacent pairs thereof, will be flexed laterally, as clearly seen in Fig. 1, thus being placed under tension. This being so, when the umbrella is in fully opened condition the bars 25 will be under maximum tension, constantly exerting pressure tending to close the umbrella. Therefore, upon release of the runner 14, throughretraction of pawl 15, the bars 25 will operate to effectually and instantly swing the ribs 9 to closed position and serve to retain said ribs in this fixed position even though the pawl 18 should fail to operate, that is, to engage with the stop shoulder 22.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form of construction for carrying my invention into efl ect, this is capable of variation and modification without departing from the spirit of the invention. I therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself .of such variations and modifications as come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 2- 1. An umbrella comprising a stick; ribs pivotally connected with said stick; means foryieldingly holding said ribs in a fixed position, said means comprising spreaders connected With said ribs, a pair of elongated flexible bars cooperating with each of said ribs; and an operative connection between adjacent bars of adjacent pairs thereof, substantially as described.

2. An umbrella comprising a stick; ribs pivotally connected with said stick; means for yieldingly holding said ribs in afixcd position, said means comprising spreaders connected with said ribs, a pair of elongated flexible bars cooperating with each of said ribs and having their outer ends connected thereto; a sliding connection between the inner ends of said bars and said stick; and an operative connection between adjacent pairs of said bars, whereby said bars are laterally flexed when said ribs are moved from said fixed position, substantially as described.

3. An umbrella comprising a stick; ribs pivotally connected with said stick; means for yieldingly holding said ribs in a fixed position, said means comprising spreaders connected with said ribs, a pair of elongated flexible bars cooperating with each of said ribs and having their outer ends connected thereto; a sliding connection between the inner ends of said bars and said stick, the barsof each pair of bars being secured together at one end; and an operative connection between adjacent bars of adjacent pairs thereof, whereby said bars are laterally flexed when said ribs are moved from said fixed position, substantially as described.

4. An umbrella OOmPIiSiIlg a stick; ribs pivotally connected with said stick; means for yieldingly holding said ribs in a fixed position, said means comprising spreaders connected at their outer ends with said ribs; a runner slidably mounted on said stick with which the inner ends of said spreaders are connected, a pair of elongated flexible bars cooperating with each of said ribs and having their outer ends connected thereto; a runner slidably mounted on said first mentioned runner and to which the inner ends of said bars are connected, the bars of each pair of said bars being secured together at one end; and an operative connection between the opposite ends of adjacent bars of adjacent pairs thereof, whereby said bars are laterally flexed when said ribs are moved from said fixed position, substantiallyas described. V

5. An umbrella comprisin pivotally connected with sai stick; means for lockin said ribs in either spread or closed osltion, said means comprising a pair of stop pawls arranged in said stick adjacent the ends thereof; and a manually operable element provided on said stick for operating both of said pawls, substantially as described.

6. An umbrella comprising a stick; ribs pivotally connected with said stick; means for locking said ribs in either spread or closed position, said means comprising a pair of stop pawls arranged in said stick adjacent the ends thereof; and a pivotally and slidably mounted operating element provided upon said stick for operating both of said pawls, substantially as described.

7. An umbrella comprising a stick; ribs pivotally connected with said stick; means for locking said ribs in either spread or closed position, said means comprising a pair of stop pawls arranged insaid stick, adjacent the ends thereof; a pivotally and slidably mounted operating element provided upon said stick; and an operative connection between said element and said pawls, whereby, upon pivotal movement of a stick; ribs said element, one of said pawls will be operated, and upon shifting movement of said element the other of said pawls will be operated, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOSEPH DEL RE.

Witnesses:

JOSHUA R. H. PoT'rs, HELEN F. LiLLIs.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

' Washington, D. G. 

